A Web of Confusion
by Joz yyh
Summary: HieixKurama / Light KazumaxYukina. Yukina wanders into the forest outside the dojo and gets herself kidnapped. When Genkai realizes what's happened, she has to call in the Urameshi team.
1. Hidden dangers

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

* * *

"Speech"

_-thoughts-_

A WEB OF CONFUSION

By: JozYyh

Chapter I

Hidden Dangers

Yukina quietly moved the sliding doors just enough for her face partially poke through. She saw the old woman casually sitting on a cushion taking chase sips at her tea.

"Miss Genkai?" Yukina's sweet voice asked shyly.

Genkai didn't bother to look at the naive child; she memorized the sound of her timid voice.

"Yes, Yukina dear?"

"I am going out to collect some medicinal herbs in the garden."

"Make it quick. You never know these days."

"I will." She smiled graciously and pushed the screen doors shut behind her. A small walk later, she reached the outside of the temple and felt the morning, frigid air blow across her face. It had snowed the night before and the temple grounds were covered in white. As she discovered the misty haze of her breath, a few birds flew down to perch on her shoulders.

"Why hello there." She giggled.

Her petite hands petted the fragile bird's heads, smiling affectionately. The birds chirped beautifully in response.

She always had a spiritual connection to woolen creatures. Perhaps it was her pure and untainted soul that attracted them to her. Or maybe it was her innocence that gave them reason to trust her.

"You must be hungry. Wait one second."

She took a brief detour to her room and fetched some food for her beloved friends. When she returned from the temple she was holding a bowl full of dried fruit, berries, and assortment of seeds. She placed it on the ground and baaed the birds to come and eat there fill.

"Here. I must be going now."

The birds thanked her with an orchestrated symphony and she smiled modestly in return.

She took a final moment to stroke each of the feathery heads, and then gently rose to her feat. A small journey away, she arrived in the tenderly cared garden, full of curing antidotes. It was buried under the fallen snow, but with her ice apparition powers she was able to waft the ice away without disturbing the plants. Underneath where the herbs and remedies, still flourishing. She plucked a few to tide over her needs, securing them inside her kimono. She lifted the snowy blanket to once again cover the delicate plants from the cold. She turned to leave having completed her task when something caught her eye. It was a peachy, bright object off in the distance. The vibrant color was easy to spot in the snow. It seemed achingly familiar to her, like she had a strange sense of déjà vu. She took a moment to stare and ponder. Finally realization struck her like an electrical current.

"That's . . . ! I could easily any illness with that!"

Her joy was quickly subdued when she realized what she would have to do to get her hands on it. She had to stray from the safe, dirt road and into demon territory. Yukina may be a strong willed and enduring person, but that didn't automatically suggest she could protect herself from a hoard of demons. That 'complication' was the only thing stopping her from rushing off and taking it for herself.

She reluctantly decided to head back, the risks too high. She tilted her head to look over her shoulder, her teal eyes taking in one last glimpse. She bowed her head to watch her feet as they carried her homeward. After taking a few steps she second-guessed her decision.

The reward was well worth the trouble.

All she would have to do was check to see if the cost was clear and then high tail it out of there.

She couldn't pass up an opportunity like this. This was the panacea she was waiting for. With that flower in Yukina's possession she wouldn't have to worry about her friends dying.

She replayed those thoughts over and over in her mind, trying to convince herself to go for it. A stubborn disposition took over and she took a deep breath and shooed away the doubt.

She slowly walked onward, wary of her path. She looked all around her, making sure no one was watching or following. After what seemed like forever, her nervous steps finally stopped in front of a delicate beauty. The snow had melted on its fragile petals, giving it the appearance of dew. After a moment of admiration, she quickly pulled the roots and all from the earth. Without wasting a precious second, she retreated.

A smile graced her lips in quiet festivity. She had done it. The cheerful mood was shattered when she suddenly found herself lost. No matter what direction her eyes moved the scenery looked the same as the last. She halted in hesitant panic.

_-That can't be right. I thought that I retraced my steps fluently.-_

Her teal eyes looked at the ground. Her eyes broadened; the rest of her foot prints had been washed away by the icy wind. She didn't know where to turn, what to do. A sharp sound echoed through the woods. A stick cracked. Adrenaline flowed through her body, the rush you get when you're scared. She snapped her head around in the direction of the sound, but found no one.

"Miss Genkai?" She whispered.

She hoped it was Genkai trying to teach her a lesson for wandering off. But she knew that wasn't true. Someone had been stalking her.

Yukina backed up; keeping her eye on the spot where the sound was the loudest. Her back collided with the jagged bark of a tree and she cried out in shock. She jumped away in freight, expecting an ugly and evil demon to stare back at her. Noticing it was only a strong trunk of a dormant tree, she let out a relieved breath. Yukina placed a hand over her heart and was amazed how rampantly it was beating. She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down to a more staid pace.

_-I must have been imagining things.-_

She felt a little bit more relaxed now. Thinking the worst was over; she took no more then two steps when her fears became a vicious reality.

"Little girls shouldn't wander so willingly into this place without protection."

Her breathe caught in her throat. Her whole body seemed to shut down, yet it was shaking erratically.

"Who's there!"

"The last demon you'll ever lay you're eyes on."

She growled in anger at his promising threat. Just then the bright, white ground grew gray then to black. Something towered above her and cast a shadow large enough to block out the sun. She screamed; a reverberating cry that was a desperate plea for help.

"That won't do you any good."

She was shoved into the soft snow, barely being stricken. She ran, her eyes darting around to catch sight of the attacker. There was no one. She could only hear and feel a strong gust of wind whistle by. She looked at the ground, watching her feet when her eyes widened in freight. The shadow was back above her. She peered up into the sky but she saw nothing there as well.

It was gone again.

She consumed on the pale sky that she didn't concentrate on where she was going. He body was caught in a sticky net; one that held her small form tightly. She tried to wiggle and fight her way out but it was of no use. As a last resort, Yukina used her ice apparition powers to freeze the web. Weakening the sticky cords, she was able to break her arms and legs free with a crack. Her hands were still bound, the web frozen fast like shackles. Nevertheless, she ran.

Not to long after she stumbled on a tree root, concealed beneath the snow. She quickly pealed her face from the ground and recovered from the fall. When she looked up large webs surrounded her, spanning throughout the trees.

Yukina was caught, with nowhere to run.

There, there was the giant who captured her. At first, all she could do was stare, her lungs feared to breathe. This demon was unlike anything she ever seen. It looked forbidden; a combination of good and evil mixed together.

She collected herself, her mind slipping back into a defensive rebellion. She formed a fist and a shimmer cascaded along her fingers. The ice took shape and substance, diving in the crevices of her fingers. The ice daggers grew longer extending out from her fists. Though it was made of ice, it still was as deadly as steel. She punched at the gigantic foe; the daggers sinking into the skin. The foe didn't even attempt to flinch away; it let her do as she wished and received her hit with open arms.

She pulled them out; and they were covered in the monsters blood; but no mortal wound appeared. It was as if the demon was immune to any physical attack. She wouldn't give up; she slashed at it this time. A streak of what seemed like claw marks stained his body but still no reaction from the beast.

A wicked laugh came from its mouth.

"Foolish girl! Know when to quit! There is no hope of escape!"

The wounds soon evaporated, leaving his skin clean and unmarked. He was merely watching as her futile attempts failed time and time again. Finally she stopped, frustrated and completely dumbfounded.

A lump piled in her throat. She couldn't scream she was too terrified by what she saw. This creature was out of her league and she stood no chance of winning.

"Don't worry it will only hurt for a little while. Then all the pain goes away." He reassured her.

"W—what are you going to do with me?"

"That my dear, is a surprise."

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Thanks for reading!

Comments and Questions Welcome!


	2. Bringer of bad news

**A/N:** ...

* * *

"Speech"

_-thoughts.-_

Chapter II

Bringer of Bad News

-_Yukina still hasn't returned.-_

"What is taking that girl so long? I thought I made it clear to her not to dilly dally around." Genkai reminded herself in a curt manner.

Genkai refused to show any pity on the girl, but her human heart retaliated. She reluctantly set her tea down and proceeded to walk outside to look for Yukina. She didn't see any trace of the young girl's figure following the trail back. She gave a sigh of annoyance and traced Yukina's tracks. She followed the winding path until she arrived at the garden. Everything so far was normal and expected. That is until, Genkai seen a pair small footprints stray off into the wilderness.

_-Just as I thought. What could have gotten into her head? Doesn't she know what's out there?-_

She followed deeper into the woods; investigating like a detective finding clues. There was a odd change in Yukina's footsteps. They were spread father apart.

_-It's as I feared. A demon caught wind of her. She had no choice but to run.-_

She prolonged her examination to the rest of tracks. As she grew closer to the end, all the nearby trees were frozen solid. This was a strange occurrence.

_-Yukina used powers to defend herself.-_

Intrigued, Genkai carried on. The footsteps ended with a very large and unknown imprint just above them. A frown crossed Gekai's wrinkled face and she couldn't help the worry.

_-What could have happened here? Even worse, what is happing to her now?-_

Something dazzling caught Gekai's eye. There crushed in the snow, a peach flower lay dying. She bent down to brush the shriveled flower off. She placed it into her hand and read its qualities very carefully.

_-Ah, I see now. This is what you were after.-_

Genkai was happy to know that Yukina wasn't as stupid as she predicted, but it didn't compare to how much Genkai was torn apart. As much as she knew Yukina needed help, Genkai was not in any condition to go on some rescue mission.

Genkai was dying. She kept her sickness a secret, the only one who knew about it was Yukina. The young, perceiving healer had noticed it from the start. Yet, Yukina silently kept it to herself, like she knew how vital it was to keep it locked away.

_-Better call for reinforcements.-_

Regretfully, she turned on her heel, taking what was left of the broken flower with her. She wouldn't let Yukina's generous discovery go in vain. She would nurse this flower back to heath. The walk back to the temple was a difficult one. Her mind overflowed with harsh criticism. All the people who cared for Yukina would be pointing fingers and blaming her. Oh, yes she was going to get and earful about Yukina being hijacked.

-Hiei's going to especially furious with me. He'll probably try to kill me. Not to mention that loud and obnoxious moron yelling scornfully at me with his oversized mouth.-

She closed her eyes and tilted her head up to the sky, letting out a pained shout. The temporary release of anger served her well.

_-This oughtta be fun.- _She thought sarcastically.

Genkai had already taken the liberty to assemble the team for an emergency meeting. She and Yusuke were the only ones at the time that were present.

"So Genkai, what's this meeting about?" Yusuke pried.

She took another sip of her tea. "You need to wait until the others arrive. I am not explaining the situation a thousand times."

"Che'" Yusuke snapped and crossed his arms in irritation. "Shouldn't at least Kurama be here by now?"

"Yes, but I gave you an earlier time to arrive."

"What! Why'd you go and do that for!" He retorted with a fist in her face.

"Because you're always late and unreliable!" She yelled. "They better get here soon before I end up beating you to a pulp again."

Yusuke shot to his feet and assumed a battle pose. "All right that's it you old hag! Let's go!"

She didn't pay any attention to him and Yusuke felt like he was talking to a wall.

"Go? Go where?" Kurama asked completely clueless. He just had arrived and only heard the last part of Yusuke's challenge.

"Ah, Kurama, nice of you to come. Don't mind Yusuke. He's being a brainless idiot again."

"I am sure Yusuke at least has been promoted to a clumsy fool." Hiei added teasingly with a smirk.

"Damn you all!" Yusuke growled through clenched teeth. He slammed his fist into the floor in attempt to quell the raging fury boiling inside. The whole temple shook from the powerful blow and Yusuke sat down and angrily kept to himself.

"Hiei, good you're here too." Genkai greeted.

Immediately Hiei found himself schizophrenic. He hadn't sensed his sister's aura anywhere and it bothered him. He was starting to think his assumptions of his sister's absence was true.

"Yo, how's it going Urameshi?" Kuwabara said casually, walking in after Hiei and Kurama.

"Oh, hey Kuwabara." Yusuke said nonchalantly.

"What's eatin you all of a sudden?"

Yusuke wanted to avoid the subject all together so, he just blew Kuwabara completely off. "Don't worry about it."

"Fine, whatever."

Kuwabara scrutinized the temple obviously looking for something. When he couldn't find Yukina's aura he scratched his head in confusion.

"Is something wrong Kuwabara?" Genkai asked tentatively.

"Yeah, Master Genkia where's Yukina? Kuwabara asked incredulously.

He always looked forward to see the charming ice maiden.

Her cheerful smile.

Those darks eyes and her small fragile appearance.

The most enchanting woman he had ever seen.

She did not answer.

Hiei recognized this insolence and grew petulant.

"What's this all about old woman?" Hiei commanded.

"Something terrible happened today." She stated flatly.

"Get on with it!" Being short-tempered, Hiei grabbed the old woman's tunic and stared daggers at her.

"Yukina has been taken." Her black eyes stared blankly into his fiery ruby irises.

Kuwabara paled and Yusuke eyes widened.

Genkai seen Hiie's lurid face falter as well; a window had opened to show inside his soul. The stoic fire demon was worried. It was quickly hidden again and he viciously tossed out questions with maddened resentment.

"By who! When! Why didn't you go after her!"

Hiei slammed Genkai into the nearby wall, hoping to persuade her to tell him what happened.

"I want answers now!"

Genkai continued to look him right in the eye and said, "There was nothing I could do to stop it."

"Why the hell not!"

"Master Genkai is this true?" Yusuke said increduously.

"Yes, the foolish girl ran off into the wilderness."

Kuwabara didn't believe Yukina would just wander off like that. She definatley knew better. He felt righteous fury coarse through him. He, Kuwabara Kazuma would rescue his ice princess.

"Didn't you warn her about the demons!" He shouted.

"Of course I warned her!" She retaliated/defended.

Confused, Kuwabara asked, "Then why would she—"

"I know why." Genkai interrupted.

"Then say it!" Hiei pressed more of his weight onto the woman, making it hard for her to breathe.

"I will as soon as you let go!" Genkai yelled. She grabbed his wrist as a sign to back off.

Hiei gritted his teeth and tossed her to the floor. He wanted to kill something now.

"Do you see that flower hanging on the far wall?" She raised her hand to point.

"Yes." Everyone said in unision.

"What, don't tell me she went into the wilderness for one stupid flower!" Yusuke asked astonished.

"Yusuke that is no ordinary flower." Kurama informed. "In my lifetime I only laid eyes on it twice, this being the second time. It has an unimaginable amount of healing power, perhaps combined with other remedies could bring back the dead. It's strange seeing one again. I remember the Spirit World issuing an order to confiscate them all so no one could be brought back to life without their order."

Everyone stared at the flower, seemingly intrigued by the whole situation.

Genkai added a distasteful grunt. "My guess is that she thought of all of you, bruised and beaten, so she decided to risk going into demon territority. Maybe if you all didn't nearly die after every fight she wouldn't' had done it! Don't blame me blame yourselves for not being strong enough!" The whole scornfully prepared speech left everyone silent.

Everyone was staring at the ground, almost in shame.

At one time they risked their lives to save Yukina. Now, Yukina must have felt it was time that she would save them.

Those words hit Hiei hard. He was always the one going off alone to train everyday. He was the one trying to control the raging fires of hell in one day. He was the one pushing himself until it almost killed him to stand up. He was the one who always spoke of getting stronger. And now to hear the old hag say 'Yukina was gone because he wasn't strong enough' struck a cord.

Yusuke felt terrible with grief and anger. Yukina had already proven herself as a valuable friend and asset to all of them. She didn't need to save their asses from certain destruction again!

Kurama nervously glanced at Hiei. He gasped at how much emotion Hiei was wearing on the outside.

Panic

Fear

Regret

Worry

Sadness

Anger

All of it was there, displayed for everyone to see.

"Hiei?" Kurama asked hesitantly.

Hiei's body jerked, like he just had cold water tossed in his face. Hiei instantly returned to normal, only letting only rage, anger, and irritation penetrate his emotional shield.

Kurama seen the change. "Hiei are you alright?"

No answer.

Kuwabara felt so unhappy and worried. He may not get a chance to see her bright, shinning face ever again.

_-Why is Kurama bother asking Hiei if he was O.K.? Why wouldn't the little runt be O.K.-_

Kuwabara grunted through clenched teeth, he couldn't hold his tongue anymore.

"Why would Hiei even care? All he cares about is himself! If it doesn't concern him he gives you the cold shoulder and walks away! It's not like he would even consider helping to bring her back, even though she helped save his life!"

_-Bad timing Kuwabara- Everyone thought to themselves. He opened his mouth at the wrong time once again.-_

Hiei did care. He just couldn't show it. He couldn't put his sister in danger. If everyone knew that that was the sister of the 'abomination' every demon would flock to her, probably seeking revenge on Hiei and kill her. Or they would kill her just to receive the title of 'Hiei's sister's Murderer.'

Upon hearing no answer, Kuwabara shouted in his own frustration.

"Genkai we have to save her!"

"Yes. Let's not waste anymore time."

The fabric of Gekai's tunic slipped through Hiei's clenched fists and her feet hit hardwood floor.

"Follow me."

They silently formed a single file line behind Genkai, as the old woman started make her way outside. Hiei stayed in place, staring distantly at the floor. Kurama looked back and seen how 'out-of-mind' he was acting.

"Hiei aren't you coming?"

Hiei shook his head in approval and shoved his hands in his pockets. He tilted his head in a scowl and walked up to Kurama.

"Move Kurama." His voice was cracked and weak as though he was holding back sobs.

Hiei felt weight around his shoulders and looked up in shock. His face was shoved into sweet scented hair and his body was pressed firmly against Kuarama's. The fox was hugging him. He remembered seeing the gesture performed by other humans. It was an act of solace.

"We'll find her."

Kurama's reassuraning voice hissed in his ear. Hiei couldn't provent the shiver that crawled up his spine. He wanted to settle into the fox' security, believe those soothing words, but he just couldn't.

_-I don't need his pity or his comfort! Now matter how warm it feels! Wait, warm?! What am I thinking? I am a fire demon! Kurama must be clouding my mind again.-_

"Get off me fox." Hiei ordered but didn't wait for Kurama to comply. He brutally shoved the taller man away and stormed out of the room after the group.

_-Please Hiei I understand. Let me help you.-_

Kurama eyes filled with dissatisfaction, but he set the emotion aside. He took in a deep breath and released it. His mind steadily cleared and he ran to catch up with his partners.

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Whoa that was a long chapter. Anyway thanks for reading and please review.


	3. New Experiences

**A/N:** I updated and we're still alive?! Yeah, I was really slow on this story because no one reviews and not many people care about it. However, in the name of my fans and the readers who do care, I present you with the third instalment.

Black Water-Fox -- (Hugs and passes the tissues) It shall get sadder yet!

shiorifoxiesmom --Why, thank you. I usually come up with good ideas and then struggle to finish them. ARRGH! It's a curse, but a good one to have. I hope I keep up with your expectations!

sil-kurama -- Yes, Hiei will be definitely doing a lot of killing by then end of the story. I personally like it that way! This chapter will have a tiny bit of HxK near the end. And something will happen to Yukina that is less than pleasant, but you'll have to wait to know what!

THANK YOU for the reviews, it makes writing worth every word.

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"Speech"

_-thoughts.-_

Chapter III

New Experiences

Kurama emerged from the temple, sharp eyes spotting his companions. The group of spirit detectives had moved efficiently, their pace carrying them far up the looping path. He could see the black fabric of Hiei's cloak and mentally sighed.

_-Your speed is impeccable when you don't want to be caught.-_

Kurama broke out into a sprint to make up for his straggling. As short time later he met up with the group and Yusuke was the first to acknowledge his arrival.

"Hey, Kurama, where've you been?" Yusuke inquired.

"I just had to check on something." He said convincingly.

Yusuke could perceive that Kurama was trying to hide something. He thought about pushing the subject further but dismissed it

_-Kurama's just as cunning in battle as he is with words. He'll probably find away around my questions anyways.-_

Yusuke shrugged and accepted the awkward silence that followed.

As Genkai led them past the garden, and through the frozen trees, and to the last set of Yukina's disheveled foot prints everyone fell deathly quiet. No one dared to speak, their minds too preoccupied about what happened to the healer girl.

Kurama watched as Hiei fell back, lagging behind with him and Yusuke. He gave the fox-spirit a cold glare. The fire demon was communicating without words, telling Kurama not to try anymore stunts like back in the temple.

Genkai stopped, the rest of the team falling in behind her.

"I've traced Yukina's tracks up to this point," Genkai said looking at the boys wearily, "everything else is up to you to figure out."

"Well this isn't exactly much to go on." Kurama said apprehensively. He kneeled down and ghosted his finger over the giant imprint.

Hiei wandered off on his own, scouting around the perimeter.

Yusuke spoke up rather seriously, "Let me get this straight, Yukina wandered in demon territory for some flower and then got attacked?"

Yusuke was sure his teammates had their own simulation of what morbid floundering took place, as did he, but he just wanted to sort everything out.

"Yes," Genkai answered. She looked back towards the temple, "Now if you excuse me I must be getting back. Don't think ill of me, I would want nothing more than to spend my dying days helping you out of this situation, but under the current circumstances I must decline. You all understand. Good luck boys. Try and bring her back safely instead of a rotting corpse okay?"

Genkai's small form disappeared into the flurries of snow.

"Everything just vanishes!" Kuwabara thought aloud, "How are we supposed to figure out where they took Yukina!"

He cared deeply for the girl, wanted to protect her with all his might, and yet he was helpless when faced with a puzzle as massive as Yukina's disappearance. Kuwabara just didn't have the mind power and it frustrated him to no end.

"Morons." Hiei chided rudely, appearing out of thin air, "Can't you see it's an illusion?"

Everyone stared at Hiei with an aggravated expression.

Kuwabara growled in anger, ready for a fist fight, "What's and illusion? I don't see anything! Start talking some sense!"

Hiei laughed menacingly. "The whole environment is an illusion. I guess those cowards who took Yukina think they can hide themselves behind a cheap trick."

"What?" Kuwabara asked. His head couldn't comprehend the explanation Hiei just gave him. The carrot top was all brawn and no brains . . . well maybe he didn't have the brawn either . . .

"Watch and learn." Hiei instructed.

The fire demon pulled the cloth ward down and revealed the deep incision across his forehead. His mutated skin rippled as the evil eye awakened. His physical eyes closed in deep concentration as the evil eye went to work. The environment around them became wavy like a deceiving mirage. With a final pulse of psychic energy, the illusion barrier lifted.

The true scenery was rather dull, but barren like the last wintry land. Rocks paved the ground and a large cave behind them was the grand center piece.

Everyone looked around in bewilderment. They all seemed so fascinated, like a bug to a light.

With a smug grin on his face Yusuke walked up to the Kuwabara and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. Kuwabara eyed him as Yusuke pulled him closer to whisper in his ear.

"Hey, Kuwabara aren't you glad we brought Hiei along?" Yusuke teased.

"Shut up! We could have figured it out!" Kuwabara knocked the raven-haired boys hand away and stomped off.

"Riiiiiiiiight." Yusuke elongated the word, incredulously.

"Are you humans just going to dottle all day?" Hiei coached from the entrance of the cave. Kurama was next to him. "Hurry up or I'll spare our enemy the hassle of killing you."

"Hey, wait up!" Yusuke yelled, slightly irritated.

A few steps inside the cave and the spirit detectives were guzzled by the darkness.

"I can't see a damn thing!" Kuwabara whined, opening and closing his eyes, hoping to miraculously obtain night vision by doing so.

"Kurama could you give us some light?" Yusuke asked politely, hoping to shut his loudmouth friend up.

Kurama nodded, "Sure."

Kurama reached into his hair satchel. He flicked his fingers, flipping his choice seed into the dirt. The seed sprouted legs and dug into the ground like muscles at the beach. The bug tunneled beneath the surface, creating an incandescent moss to light a path through the cave.

"Be on your guard." Yusuke warned the group.

"Feh!" Hiei scoffed, "Tell that to the numbskull back there."

"Wha'd you say punk!" Kuwabara turned toward Hiei, boiling mad. Kuwabara Kazuma was not in the mood!

Without even turning around Hiei answered, "I said you're a pompous imbecile who has done nothing but fall on his face and trip on his own two legs."

"That's it! I am taking you out Hiei!" Kuwabara charged at him, fist pulled back and ready to connect with Hiei's jaw.

Kurama blocked Kuwabara's attack with his body.

Kuwabara drug his feet into the cave floor to try and stop himself from tackling the plant master.

"Kurama?" Kuwabara asked confusedly, but then turned angry once more, "Grrrrrrr, get out of my way! I have to teach the bastard a lesson!"

Hiei just walked off, trailing behind Yusuke who decided to leave them be.

"Listen Kuwabara, there's a lot you don't know. Believe it or not Hiei's just as concerned about Yukina as you are. So for Yukina sake, try and tolerate him for now." Kurama negotiated pleadingly.

Kuwabara growled and shook his fist in acquiescence, "Fine! I'll waste his ass later!"

Kurama smiled in agreement with his decision.

The two stragglers caught up with the group and journeyed onward. They had encountered nothing out of the ordinary thus far, rocks, stalagmites, stalactites; the stuff you usually find in a cave. . .

As they progressed further into the winding passageway, a fork in the road forced them to stop.

Yusuke took charge, "We'll ladies this is where we part ways. Kuwabara and I will take right. Kurama, Hiei, I'll catch up with you two later."

The brown-eyed sprit detective turned towards the disgruntled teenager next to him, "C'mon you oversided lunk, let's get going."

The team divided and followed their respective tunnels.

Hiei and Kurama traveled in silence, the fire demon distancing himself from the kitsune.

"Hiei can you feel that?" Kurama asked his nerves on edge.

Kurama had sensed the evil aura for quite some time now and still felt the goose bumps prickling his skin.

"Hn. Ever since we set foot in here." Hiei concurred.

"There are thousands of them. Their spirit energy is making me dizzy. You think that Kuwabara or Yusuke sensed them too?" Kurama added.

"What does it matter?"

-Hiei defiantly knows how to end a conversation.-

"I guess your right."

Kurama had been traveling deep within the narrow, carved-out passageways for awhile now and knew what the contours looked like. However, the cave suddenly changed. It went from typical rocky contours to completely bizarre in a matter of meters.

Gooey sack-like humps that had the uncanny resemblance to frog's eggs sprouted from everywhere. The cave looked more like a giant's throat now that the walls were drenched in what seemed to be mucus.

Kurama being Kurama had the natural tendency to feed his curiosity about the abnormal protrusions.

"I wonder what these are . . ." Kurama asked no one in particular. His hand reached out to carefully inspect/touch the pouch, but Hiei's swift reflexes intervened.

"I wouldn't," Hiei said firmly.

Kurama tuned to look at his companion and tried to explain his actions.

"I was only trying to—"

"—let everyone know we're here." Hiei finished Kurama's sentence.

With a frustrated sigh, Kurama gave in and respected Hiei's warning to look but not touch.

Continuing on, the number of frog egg-like sacks increased. Large stockpiles embellished the floor while more rows lined the walls.

Hiei still denied Kurama the possession of his hand. He was keeping the kitsune's hand safely inside his own, using it as a leash.

"Hey Hiei?"

"Hn?"

"Can I have my hand back now?" Kurama asked sweetly. He would usually use this tone of voice with his mother to wheedle his way out of going on a date with a girl.

Hiei tightened his grip and jerked Kurama closer.

"NO." He said sternly, "I can't have you go and get us both killed."

"Alright, if you insist,"Kurama tried to make his voice sound exasperatedly annoyed. He couldn't let Hiei know he was enjoying the contact, but that didin't stop him from squeezing Hiei's hand in return for earlier.

Hiei nearly jumped out of his grip at the electricity he received from the touch. The feeling crawled up his arm and progressed through his body. The warmth of their palms was a new experience for him and such was the effect it had.

Kurama's smiled at Hiei's reaction even though the gesture was indistinguishable in the darkness.

Hiei released him and stilled his feet for a different affair. Kurama frowned at the loss of Hiei's hand, but replaced the disappointment with trepidation.

A carcass of a departed arachnid lay to their left. It was abandoned. The remaining food left on its exoskeleton rotting away and polluting the air with a foul stench. The two gazed upon the huge structure. It was the size of a stegosaurus rather than the hairy creepy crawler you could squash with a rolled up newspaper.

"We found the parent where's the offspring?"

Kurama searched with his eyes, ready to call upon his rose whip at a moments notice.

"Hear that?" Hiei asked.

They were surrounded by tons of different noises. It was a language that Hiei and Kurama translated into a chorus of hisses, clicks, clacks. The sounds came from too many areas to pinpoint exactly where they were coming from. Despite that, Kurama tried to figure out what was coming from where with his sensitive ears.

"Here's the security." Hiei called Kurama's attention to their front.

He turned and noticed the two giant spiders before them. They were as tall as an elephant and barely could fit themselves inside the compact cavern.

Hiei drew his sword and Kurama his whip as they stood back to back.

"You take right, I'll take left."

* * *

...


	4. Bloody Kisses

**A/N:** Hiya. I know it's been awhile, but I got a good chapter for you. I am going to take 'fluff' out of my description. I honestly don't know how it got there. I am very sorry about that. There's about 3 more chapters to go. Oh yes, and there's a kiss in this chapter!

Rearders: Good. Otherwise we'd tell you to take "romance" out of the description too!

Thank you again. I am unworthy of your loyalty to this fic! I love you!!

* * *

"Speech"

_-thoughts.-_

Chapter IV

Bloody Kisses

The spiders were the first to attack, twin tentacles of spun thread launched out of their mouths like spitting cobras. Hiei and Kurama performed naturally choreographed dodges and the spiders missed, their wet dream catchers plastered to the cavern wall. Hiei traversed through the poles of hairy legs to reach the beast's underside. Eight fully sheathed stabs to the abdomen sent the arachnid wild. The spider hissed enraged and tromped to squash its elusive enemy. The life juices spilled out of the holes in its thorax, weakening it untilthe spider teetered and finally collapsed with a quake. Hiei would've been buried under the beast's weight if not for his god-like speed and sleekness.

Hiei stood before the spider's eight glassy red eyes. The spider's fangs protracted to gargle out an insect-like choke.

"Shut up." Hiei said.

And with that the spider died. He turned to Kurama. The Youko was still parrying the spearing legs of his spider, conscious that Hiei's battle had already concluded.

_- Sorry to make you wait Hiei but not all of us can be as efficient as you. If only I could find someway to penetrate his offense and reach the backside then this battle would end quicker.-_

Hiei's form suddenly blurred into focus atop the spider's backside unnoticed.

_- Looks like I don't have to worry. -_

With a cry, Hiei drove his sword down into the beast's thorax. The spider roared and bucked Hiei into the air. The fire demon back flipped and landed safely, but alas his trusty sword lay wedged inside the spider.

"Damn it. My sword wasn't long enough to hit is vital spot. I couldn't have been far off."

The spider swiveled around to shoot Hiei with sticky thread; neglecting its fight with Kurama.

"Don't turn your back on me." Kumara chastised.

The kitsune dashed, whipping half the spider's legs out from under it with his lengthy thorny whip. The beast leaned awkwardly, struggling to recover from its retarded state. The spider didn't break from its personal vandetta against Hiei, busying him with flying spider webs.

"Finish him Kurama!" Hiei yelled.

Kurama lashed his rose whip along the center of the spider, thorax to head, splitting it into two symmetrical pieces. Yellowish-green liquid spewed out from the incision and showered Kurama's uniform and Hiei's cloak with sickening plasma. The spider's legs twitched before it slackened into death.

Hiei eyed the dirty sleeve of his cloak and directed an inquisitive glare at his partner. "Was that really necessary?" Hiei asked.

"Better to be safe then sorry." Kurama tossed him a sheepish smile.

Hiei shrugged the incident off and cleaned his sword before sheathing it. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he strode off to the next tunnel. "We're done here."

"Yes, of course." Kurama picked up on Hiei's hint to leave and Kruama retrogressed his whip into a seed that he put into his satchel of hair. One of the twin giant spiders still radiated danger and Kurama kept a sharp eye on it. Kurama laughed, mocking himself.

_-Perhaps Hiei is right, I am just being overly cautious.-_

When Kurama looked up from massaging his forehead, the spider was among the undead. It stealthily stalked behind the fire demon. The spider raised one of its frontal legs to assassinate Hiei. Hiei continued to lead, oblivious to the spider's presence.

_-Even if I warn him there's no guarantee he'll dodge it in time.-_

Kurama selected a seed from his hair and morphed into a fine floral tipped dart.

"Rose dart!" Kurama's stuck the spider's leg.

Hiei turned to see the commotion.

"Hiei! It came ba—--!"

Kurama was interjected by the spider leg impaled in his shoulder. The spider raised Kurama above its curling mouth, venom dripping from its fangs.

_-Damn it! I didn't think the other one would be resurrected too!-_

"Kurama!"

Hiei drew his sword. "This time you'll stay down!" Hiei vowed to the spider.

Hiei rushed over to butcher Kurama's attacker. The fire demon infused his right palm with fire. He rolled the fire into an orb and jumped into the air. He pitched his fiery orb into the spider's eyes. The spider screeched and backed into the cavern wall. The whole cavern shook.

With the spider distracted, Hiei freed Kurama by hacking off the spider's leg. The toe of the spider leg remained embedded in the kitsune's shoulder. Hiei caught the fox and held him fast to his hip. A fair distance away, Hiei set him down.

"Stay here."

Hiei returned to the spider and cut off each of its legs. The spider could only hiss helplessly as Hiei finished him off for good with a stab to the head. History wouldn't repeat itself.

Finished, Hiei returned to Kurama's side.

"You idiot why did you go and do that?!" He animadverted.

Kurama's nose tensed before more regurgitated blood ran out his mouth, "I … figured you would sense the attack, but I just … couldn't let it hit you … when I could've done something to stop it."

Hiei was speechless. His shoulders quivered.

"We have to remove this." Kurama spoke, gripping the girth of the hairy leg in his shoulder.

"If we do that now you'll bleed to death! Where's your brain fox?!" He scolded.

"Its alright I've been thorough worse. I can make it."

Hiei growled, "Don't give me that shit!"

It was Kurama's turn to yell. "Hiei what are you sitting around and lecturing me for?! Your sister is waiting! Leave before it's too late to rescue her!"

Hiei's face blanked in astonishment. Kurama's eyes seethed. "Go already. You're wasting time just standing here."

"But Kurama . . ."

Hiei trailed off not sure what his side of the argument was. The fox was telling him what he already knew, but he was hesitant to leave Kurama alone.

"Hiei, go." Kurama said with an undertone of sternness.

Hiei looked into the fox's eyes incredulously.

Kurama smiled with a mischievous grin, face growing sly. "You need her, Hiei."

_- I am just a reliance. I am expendable, but she's your family. -_

Hiei placed a hand on Kurama's chest and used his other hand to grip the spider leg.

Kurama's eyes widened in wonder. "Hiei?"

"I am pulling it out. You're going to feel pain. 1, 2 …"

Kurama winched in preparation of the pain and squeezed Hiei's hand on his chest.

Hiei skipped '3' and pulled. Kurama screamed and sagged in Hiei's grip, feeling awkwardly empty. Fresh blood super saturated Kurama's uniform. Hiei's hands erupted with a dark flame that was both deaden and mysterious. He burned Kurama's skin and clotted the blood with just a touch. Hiei's calloused, bloody hands cupped Kurama's cheek. The fox was sweating, and shaking from the treatment, panting and nearly crying.

"The poison's still inside you, I only diluted it. You should—" Hiei began.

"Wait … poison? What do you mean? … Just the leg … struck me."

"There's a retractable fang inside the toe that secretes poison. You should be alright until we finish up here. If you start to feel tingly or loose feeling you need to get out of here as fast you can. If you'd actually listen to me I'd tell you to leave now, but I know you better, fox. Just remember that once the poison takes a serious affect you WILL be useless."

"I told you I don't need—!"

Hiei pulled Kurama down by the back of his head and forcefully pressed his lips to the kitsune's. It was a hard, almost painful kiss that lingered for only a few seconds. Kurama stared, confused and utterly perplexed.

"I need you alive, Kurama." Hiei whispered.

Hiei was gone with the next rush of air.

* * *

Kuwabara was dying of boredom. They had been walking down tunnels for what seemed like days and still no action. He decided to start up conversation to keep himself entertained.

"So Uramesshi how have you and Kieko been?"

"Oh, you know the routine, a night full of hot, passionate sex, and then, in the morning she throws whatever she can find at me." Yusuke said.

"Good 'ol Keiko." Kuwbara laughed.

"And then she starts crying and accusing me of never being around! It's not like I have a damn choice! I can't help it if Koenma orders me into one bogus assignment after another without pay or a vacation! And then says 'just tell your boss you quit.' Ha! That's a laugh!" Yusuke ranted.

Kuwabara rolled his eyes and blocked Yusuke's complaints out.

_- Sorry I asked. GEEZ! What is he, 'PMS'ing? Kami-sama I can't wait until I rescue Yukina and get the hell out of this shitty place! My darling ice maiden will probably throw herself at me, overcome with gratitude, and look at me those teary wide eyes of hers. -_

"… Am I right, or am I right? … Hey Kuwabara don't tell me your siding with women?"

When the carrot top didn't answer, Yusuke's looked over his shoulder. Kuwabara held his face in his hands, drooling and muttering squeaky nothings to himself.

It was too much. Yusuke busted up laughing.

"Huh?!" Kuwabara awakened from his daydream by his friend's mirth.

"Kuwabara were you even listening? And what's with the grin? Fantasizing about Yukina?" Yusuke prompted. He spared Kuwabara some dignity and didn't address his love-struck dopiness.

Kuwabara blushed all the way to his ears. "Uhhhh … no, no! You got it all wrong! You see I was uh…, um………., lost in … in meditative thought. Yeah. That's it!"

Yusuke sniggered. "Yeah, yeah sure and Koenma is promoting me."

"Hey listen Urameshi! I was NOT,—HEY!! What are you stopping for?!" Kuwabara asked, bumping into Yusuke.

"It looks like a jungle up ahead." Yusuke said.

He pointed to the spider webs cross-hatching the rest of the tunnel.

"Try cutting it with your spirit sword." Yusuke suggested.

"No problem! Spirit Sword!" Kuwabara held his wrist and yellow light bloomed from his palm.

Grinning widely Kuwabara pushed Yusuke aside, "Alright Urameshi watch out! Kuwabara's comin' through."

Yusuke muttered a 'whatever' and reclined against the wall and folded his arms.

"Try not to hurt yourself big guy.", Yusuke insulted.

"What's that?"

"Nothing."

Kuwabara hacked and slashed with all his might, determined to tear down all the spider webs in a few swings. His hair and clothes were covered in the sticky thread. Spent within moments, Kuwabara took a breather, wiping his brow to examine his progress. Several layers of spider webs still blocked the path ahead.

"Wow this stuff is a lot harder to cut through than I thought. Its nothing like the spider webs back home." Kuwabara said.

"Just shut up and cut faster." Yusuke ordered.

"I don't see you doing anything!" Kuwabara shot back.

"That's because you said you could handle it on your own, but if you NEED my help …" Yusuke offered.

"Nevermind, I'll do it!" Kuwabara grumbled.

Yusuke smirked over his small victory of wits. He looked down the way they came and was curious by all the little holes lining the walls.

_-Were those holes always there? I don't remember seeing them.-_

Something that looked like a crab claw was suddenly coming out of one of the holes.

"What is that?" Yusuke said.

Yusuke trained his eyes on the thing, interested to see what creature it belonged to. The 'thing' turned out to be a spider the size of a dog. Not the wussy chiwawa sized dogs, but the Saint Bernard kind! It spied Yusuke and then cackled in insect language. Before long more spiders emerged from the shadows to join the first. The spiders slowly advanced on the two boys.

Yusuke patted Kuwabara's shoulder. "Uh… Kuwabara …now would be a good time to HURRY. THE. HELL. UP!"

Kuwabara paused in his work, "What, why?"

Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara by the collar and spun him around. He pointed to the herd of arachnids pouring out of the burrows. "That's why!" Yusuke yelled.

"Uh… right." Panic-stricken and an arachnophobic, Kuwabara hauled ass.

The spiders were crouching, ready to fling themselves at the teenagers in a swarm.

"MOVE FASTER IDIOT!"

"I AM GOING AS FAST AS I CAN!"

"DAMN IT, KUWABARA!" Yusuke faced the spiders head on. "Alright you asked for it! …. SHOTGUN!"

The spider's front lines where taken out by Yusuke's powerful spray blast. The spiders beyond reared like horses, eyes light-sensitive. The spiders screeched and retreated back a few steps. They resumed defensive postures while their ranks regrouped.

"Come on you dumbass! WE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Yusuke hollered.

* * *

So what do you think? Has my writing improved at all?

Chapter Completed: Monday, January 01, 2007


	5. Sacrifices

**Warning:** THIS CHAPTER HAS SWEARING AND VULGARITY.

**A/N:** I know, I know I am a wretch for making you wait for story updates!! I am a senior so I have to spend my fanfiction writing time doing essays and filling out applications. ARGGHHH!! STUPID COLLEGE!!

Kurama: What she means to say is that she's been watching YAOI on youtube since she finally got DSL.

Joz-yyh: umm… Hey Kurama! Is that Hiei over there at Yusuke's house wearing a leather dominatrix outfit?

Kurama: WHAT? WHERE?! I'VE BEEN MASTERBATING FOR WEEKS AND HE'S DOING IT WITH YUSUKE?! I'LL RAPE HIM UNTIL HE CAN'T CUM ANYMORE!! I'LL CHAIN HIM TO MY ROOM AND MAKE HIM MY SEX SLAVE FOR LIFE!!

Kurama: (Calms himself) Yes, ahem. We'll resume this discussion later. (runs off to seduce/molest Hiei)

Anyway, I promise (twines pinkies with you. Haha! gakuen heaven. Watch the last episode. Damn that yaoi is so unrealistic! I DON'T CARE WHAT PEOPLE SAY! BOYS, LIKE KAZUKI, HAVE HORMONES AND SEX DRIVES AND DO NOT HAVE THAT MUCH CONTROL OVER THEIR URGES!) to update some of my other stories SOON (I only have Sundays to write so next weekend maybe?), BUT they'll probably be shorter! Oh and have you noticed a difference in my writing? Better isn't it?? See I am working hard!

I've planned out the next chapters in "Training" and "Green with envy" so all I have to do is type and edit them. I beg for your forgiveness and I humbly thank you for your support. It means a lot. I love you guys!

P.S. I have stories I want people to update too! But do they? NO!! I know your pain.

* * *

"Speech"

_-thoughts.-_

Chapter V

Sacrifices

Kurama felt the vicinity shake. Something bigger and definitely badder was coming his way. Kurama's head felt congested and the world spun in his eyes. He dropped to his hands and knees and hacked up blood. He could not fight with this kind of handicap over his head.

He scanned the cavern for a hiding place. He found an overlay of rock that was just adequate for his build. The downside was there was a peep hole that could give him away if he wasn't careful. Kurama fit himself inside the overlay just as the rumbling ceased. Kurama covered his mouth to keep from breathing too loudly and waited corpse still for the enemy to pass.

There was pause of silence and then an ear-splitting screech echoed. Kurama covered his ears and tried not to scream.

"What sly prey I have," came an insectile laugh. "Usually the demon energy in my screech explodes my prey's brain."

_- Aren't I lucky. –_

"You must be small by the faint smell of blood. Where are you hiding?" The mother spider asked.

The beast scrutinized the area for a moment and then rammed the overlay.

_-How did it—?!-_

A glistening hairy rod speared the overlay repeatedly and Kurama sidled to the adjacent rock to avoid getting skewered. After a thorough assault, the mother spider backed off and an insectile laughed ensued. "Oh, I know that smell! I'll leave my babies to deal with you."

Kurama warily looked through the peep hole (there was a number of new ones LOL). As Kurama deduced it was the mother of the spiders; distinguished from her descendants by size, intelligence, and power.

In the next instant she disappeared.

_-What? How?-_

Kurama could feel the shake from her steps under his feet.

_- I see. Somehow she's mastered the art of camouflage. I need to warn Hiei about this. -_

* * *

Hiei ran along a serpentine tunnel and battalions of lesser spiders scurried to stop him. Hiei used their bodies as stepping stones.

A dim blue light radiated from up ahead. Hiei's eyes widened when he entered the last room. Ice glossed the walls and on the far wall his sister was trapped within a frozen spider web like a prized mantlepiece.

"COME OUT YOU BASTARD!! COME OUT AND FACE ME!!" Hiei yelled.

"No need to shout I am right here."

Hiei eyed the room but found no one. Hiei felt a waft of air (A/N: there's no wind underground. Suspicious ne?). Below him Hiei could see a magnifying shadow reflected off the icy floor. Hiei leapt away just as the shadows weight hit and cracked the ice.

"Aren't you a smart one."

Hiei could see the outline of the beast, it bended like water with each of its movements. Hiei drew his sword. The mother spider screeched and Hiei felt his ears bleed. Lesser spiders busted through the ice and more Greater spider he fought earlier with Kurama pilled in through the exit-entrance.

Hiei attacked in the midst of their consulting. He cut down one of the larger spiders and then incinerated the smaller pests. The spiders remaining fired their thread at will. Overwhelmed by missiles of thread, Hiei tried to cut through the globs he couldn't dodge, but his blade was dull to the doughy threads.

One of the thread missiles penetrated his offense and he got pinned to the wall. Hiei burned through his binds.

The mother spider sent Hiei sailing towards the ceiling with a blow of her own. His back collided with one of the frozen stalactites. The wind was knocked out of him and so was his blood. The spiders coated him with many more layers of webbing to hold him and the mother spider topped Hiei's confinement with her own special thread.

"I didn't know she would attract such a crowd. No matter. A rare find like her is worth the trouble."

"Don't …" Hiei choked, "touch her."

Hiei summoned his flame, but the thread simply would not burn.

"What … what is this?!" Hiei yelled.

"Like it? It's nearly indestructible. Heh heh ssss ss sss…. you won't be escaping from there."

The mother spider surveyed Yukina. "Ah she's nearly at the right stage. I don't know if I can wait any longer. I want to taste her now!"

"Wait!! I'll give you anything in her place. Take me instead."

"You? Feh! You're already my dinner."

"Tell me why do you want her? It's because she's an ice maiden right?"

"Yehhssss thhere rumored to be quite the delicacy."

Hiei laughed menacingly and smirked, "What if I told you I was a Koorime too?"

* * *

"You think we lost em?" Kuwabara asked resting his hands on bent knees.

"Don't know." Yusuke answered.

The two resumed walking.

"So what do we do now?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yukina has to be down one of these tunnels so let's keep going until we find her."

"In case you didn't know we've _BEEN_ picking and choosing and it's gotten us _NOWHERE_! For all we know we've been going in circles! Aren't you worried about Yukina at all?!" Kuwabara hollered, rosy-cheeked.

"You got a better plan dofus?!" Yusuke argued.

Kuwabara scrached his temple and looked away. "Erm… no…"

"Then shut up!" Yusuke yelled.

The two teens neared an adjacent tunnel. Yusuke scouted around the corner. To his left a group of spiders were gathered around something. Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara just as he was about to blow their cover and pulled him back. He cupped a hand to Kuwabara's lips as the red head spouted protests.

Kuwabara pried Yusuke's hand of his mouth. "Hey what's the big idea?!" Kuwabara asked.

"SHHHHH! Big mouth! Do you want them to hear us?" Yusuke scorned in a hoarse whisper.

Yusuke motioned with his head for Kuwabara to take a look.

Kuwabra did so, but immediately leaned back out of sight of the spiders with a sheepish expression on his face.

"What's up with you?" Yusuke inquired.

"Oh nothing! Nothing! Umm … uhhh … we should be going! Don't want to get caught you know!" Kuwabara nervously scratched his head and forced a composed smile. He was sweating profusely.

Yusuke messaged his aching forehead. "Don't tell me … they saw you."

Kuwabara laughed.

"YOU'RE SUCH AN IDIOT!! OKAY THAT'S IT WE'RE EXTERMINATING THESE BASTARDS!"

"Urameshi are you nuts?!" Kuwabara eyed him incredulously.

"There's not as many as before! Besides I am sick of running from these damn bugs!"

Yusuke emerged from his cover and heatedly showered his foes with spirit guns. The spirit bullets hit their marks. Yusuke blew the steam from his pointer finger.

"Wow … that was easy. " Kuwabara gawked.

"C'mon. Let's see what they were so fascinated over." Yusuke said.

A still body with a bloodied maroon uniform lay on the ground.

"No way! It's Kurama?!" Kuwabara observed.

Yusuke sat Kurama up. His pupils were shrunk into his cornea and his mouth was partially open.

"Hey fox boy snap out of it!"

"Yeah tell us what happened!"

Yusuke tried to shake a response out of him but no luck.

"Holy Shit Urameshi! He's got a damn hole shoulder!"

"Damn it! Kuwabara get him the hell out of here!" Yusuke ordered. He handed Kurama over to the carrot top.

"What?! Buy why me?!" Kuwabara objected, pointing to himself.

"No time to argue! Just get him outta here."

"But wait Urames—"

"Don't worry! I'll bring Yukina and Hiei back with me!" Yusuke waved as he ran off.

Kuwabara backtracked to the exit, carrying Kurama bridle-style. "How did I ever get mixed up in this shit?" He asked himself.

* * *

Thanks for reading!

Comments and Questions Welcome.

Chapter Completed: Saturday, February 17, 2007


	6. Break Away

Yeah, it's been awhile. Hopefully there are still some people who want to read this. 00

* * *

"Speech"

_-thoughts-_

CHAPTER 6

BREAK AWAY

"YOU?!" The mother spider gurgled, her fangs slick with new strings of juices. Rage was not something she particularly liked possessing herself with. As a queen, she knew the value of patience.

Even in times of great hunger, when the first piece of meat in weeks happened to wonder into their den, she strictly waited for the opportune moment to attack. Hunger had ripped at her, consumed her every thought and being, much the same way it did in her children, and still she held it down. Already her young were turning traitorous, desperate for sustenance they nipped at her heels, but she did not falter back then, not once.

However, this was not an internal war of hunger, not a scream of instincts. This was an insult, a play made on her intelligence by a worm unfit to wear the title 'demon'.

A dangerous twinkle shined in the queen's eye, an sign that she had seen through his tricks. The once encumbering, delicious sweetness of Yukina quickly became the queen's abandoned dream.

"Koorime are women!" The queen roared. "Do not think because we are restricted to our home that we know nothing of the outside world! I see everything! I know everything!"

Hiei cracked up into chuckles the evolved higher and higher until he threw his head back into a maniacal laugh. The fire demon's pale, exposed throat vibrated visibly under the intense vocals. Calming down, Hiei nodded his head back into place. His eyes opened, a glossy sheen giving them a more cunning and intimidating red. He smirked at her, his fangs revealed from behind thin lips.

"Don't tell me you haven't heard of the abomination?! The Emiko?! The forbidden child those witches cast from the sky?! " Each word came out harder, louder, Hiei nearly insane as he screamed out the tormenting memories of his past. The pain of lonliness, a life without meaning, was resurrected and relived clearly in his mind. The queen watched, perplexed to find the boy going considerably mad in front of her.

The sharp contorts of emotion the queen saw in him, made a complete undoing of the pretenses she accused him with.

No longer did she doubt his suffering. Behind those scenes of laughter lay a face of raw, contorting languish. His history was strewn with skeletons, that was fact. There is none alive that can copy such emotions without first having felt their true power.

_-So what?-_ The queen counteracted herself _-That doesn't prove anything. I've suffered too, but that doesn't mean I am the Emiko. Either this boy is very cunning conman or there is one part of his story he isn't telling me. -_

"If you truly _are_the Emiko, why do you care so much for this young maiden's life? You should be begging me to kill her! To spill her blood! I see right through your bluff!" The queen was hesitant to speak at first, wondering if her own accusations had any footing, but she gained confidence as she spoke, the words sounding right in her ears.

_-For one so smart, you'd think she wouldn't be so stupid.- _

"No, no, you got me all wrong. I plan on using that girl for myself. You see, she's the only one I can enjoy killing."

The queen fidgeted, trying to decipher his intentions and failing.

"Explain!" She ordered, frustrated with herself.

Hiei closed his eyes. He had a distinct feeling that the webs binding him to the cavern roof were somehow cheating him of his energy. Was it possible that the queen's thread had the ability to slowly drain the life out of him? Shifting that idea to the side, he managed a feeble chuckle, a meager in and out of breath.

"This jagan," The third eye flashed violet, clarifying the subject of discussion, "you've been wondering about it haven't you?"

The massive spider only growled weakly, feeling threatened by the demon's heightened levels of perception.

"It's really quite amazing, what this third eye I can do. It can track the smallest traces youki, even those shrouded in the clouds."

"So you're saying you found the isle, the Koorime?" The queen ventured skeptically.

"Oh, looks like we have winner." Hiei snickered, tapping into the humor he'd picked up from Yusuke. "Those damn witches have already decimated what was left. The divine Koormie are just animated corpses now. They spend their enternallifewalking the island with their heads bent low in remorse. Sorry, but I can't gain any satisfaction for killing something that's already dead. So I figured why not let you do my work for me? Those bastards are so desperate to die they'll throw themselves at you. But that girl over there," Hiei pointed with his head, "she's not like the rest of them. She'll scream for me to stop, she'll put up a good fight. Do us both a favor and accept my offer. Everybody wins, nobody loses. I can have my revenge; you get a full stomach."

A train of indecisive clicks came from the queen. Her head twitched from side to side, filing through the pros and cons of both possible answers she could give. The queen's head rose up steadily, and Hiei read it to mean she'd come to a conclusion.

"If what you say is true, you shouldn't mind proving it with your blood." The queen vouched.

Hiei had to smirk at that. He wasn't expecting anything aside from a solid "yes" or "no," but he had to give herpoints for being creative.

"Can't trust anyone, can you?" Hiei scoffed, "Heh, heh, alright. If that's what it takes for you to give that girl over to me I see no harm in it."

The mother spider's jaws nearly curled into a smile. The large arachnid abandoned her perch next to Yukina and shot a silk cable that landed beside Hiei's form. Climbing her improvised rope, the queen approached and so did her foul smell. Hieicringedas the balding, rotting head nibbled away at thick webbing holding him prisoner. What he wouldn't give to have Kurama this close. He far more preferred Kurama's delicate floral sent to this putrid stench.

As she ate away the web with her fangs, Hiei could feel himself gain some freedom. He could wriggle his sword hand, but not yet enough to wrench it free. He strained harder against the confining bands. He had the biggest urge rip free and slice her head clean off.

There was a croak, something that sounded faintly like a laugh, "I can sense you trying to break free." The queen announced, "Do not worry yourself, I'll make sure you stay in there."

The spider pulled away, aparantlyfinished with her work. Hiei looked down to see she'd chewed away part of his shirt too, his left shoulder naked. He looked up to glare just as she leaned in to bite.

"Careful!" Hiei warned, causing the spider to jolt, "Fire demons taste a bit spicy. Wouldn't want you getting burned."

The queen growled, her anger biding, biding, biding, until it catapulted, her fangs drowning to their roots into his bare shoulder. Hiei's choked on his scream. Like thunder it tore through him. Her tooth forced itself inside, severing bands of muscle and cracking his bone. His own blood a geyser that welled up to splash him in the face, and then it all exploded into blossoms of _**PAIN**_. This time Hiei roared out his agony, staining his voice to it's highest pitch. Never would he have believed it would hurt this bad.

Her fangs left him, the chill from the ice-encrusted cavern stinging the freshly made holes in his body. Hiei felt so very empty, so lacking in blood in energy that he didn't know if he could carry on the fight. Just as these grim thoughts circled in Hiei's mind, there came a blue light, a spike of spirit energy followed by a booming, crystal-shattering earthquake as the queen fell from her perch on the ceiling and onto her back.

From half-lidded, half-greyed eyes, Hiei looked toward the entrance. The youki of his savior flared a trademark blue, but the fire demon couldn't quite register the owner of the presence. Hiei had been rescued, but the fire demon had yet to realize it. The demon hybrid was too focused on listening to his heart pound; fearing that it would stop beating altogether if he didn't keep careful ear of it's rapid thumping.

Several more shots were fired up at Hiei, each bullet melting sections of the cocoon. Hiei felt the thread give, his body bowing towards the floor where the queen was straining to right herself. And then it felt as if he was soaring through the air, his body loose, his eyes falling shut. A pair of arms caught him, one over his chest the other arm curled over his lower back.

"Hiei! Are you alright?!"

Hiei opened his eyes and saw a multitude of his reflections looking back at him through the cracked mirror that was the frozen floor.

"Yusuke ...?" Hiei rasped. He shut his eyes again, the glassy doppelgangers were making him dizzy.

"Hey," Yusuke uttered softly. The demon was strangely pliant in his arms. Not once did Hiei try to break out of Yusuke's supporting grip to walk his own. The rookie had seen his friend in pretty bad shape before, but if Hiei and his stubborn pride were this defeated, then Yusuke was going to have some problems cleaning up the spider infestation.

The dectective flipped the wounded demon over and sat him to lean his back against the curved cavern wall.

"Hiei," Yusuke called, gently rested a hand on Hiei's unmarred shoulder just in case the demon needed the extra sense of touch to know Yusuke was still there next him.

"I know this might be hard for you, but listen to me okay? I want you to get Yukina out of here. Let me handle rest." The spirt detective's eyes were pleading for Hiei to agree, but it was useless. The jaganashi's head had sunk to the side, his spinel eyes slipping shut as he labored over his breathing.

"YAAASSSS!! HELP ME MY CHILDREN!!" The queen cried, tettering on her thorax, her 8 legs grasping at air.

Yusuke spotted the few spiders that scurried to her aid and blew the ground up from under them.

"Ss-sorry Yusuke, ba-but as much as I hate to admit it, I don't think I'll be able to ... move ... for awhile." Hiei grunted, trying to lean forward and the pain overtaking him.

"Shit." Yusuke cursed, "Kurama and Kuwabara are down too."

"What?!" Hiei's eyes shot open and then narrowed into amber almonds. He leaned forward, his enthusiasm to know what had happened to the fox straining is muscles, "Kur--Agggghhhh."

"Hiei!" Yusuke cried. He wanted to help the demon through the episodes of pain, but he wasn't sure what he could do.

"Yusuke, loan me some of your spirit energy."

"Why?!" Yusuke demanded, thinking that Hiei was ready to go kamikaze and summon his black-flamed ally. "You're not planning to--"

Hiei laughed at Yusuke's level concern for him and also over the detectives assumption of his intentions, "No, I was thinking that I could teleport back to the hag's dojo. You know, save myself some time? I am not stupid enough to use the dragon now."

"Oh!" Yusuke blushed, feeling ashamed for his feminine moment of empathy, "Yeah, that would definitely work. So ... um how do I give you my energy?"

"Just let go of you're mind. Knowing you, that shouldn't be too hard."

"Pft!" Yusuke waved him off, turning his nose to the side like he was higher than Hiei's teasing, "Remember payback is a bitch Hiei."

"You have to know it to give it." Hiei taunted.

"Shudap and do your thing. I am ready."

Yusuke closed is eyes, crossing his legs so they made a triangle. He unclenched his fists, his tense hands shaking as he forced himself to relax. Open palms rested on his knees.

_-Geez one mention of Kurama and the guy gets his second wind. Hope I am doin' this right.-_

_-I wonder what Yusuke would say if he knew I could read his thoughts right now.-_

Hiei lifted his hand to Yusuke's forehead, the two parts separate and hovering close to each other rather than touching. His jagan eye opened part way, it's energy 3/4 empty. Hiei closed his eyes to concentrate. Tiny orbs of light were pulled from Yusuke's forehead. They moved like a web (what are those highways called?) of trains into the jagan eye.

"You can open your eyes now." Hiei said.

"Ah really?! That's enough, but it didn't feel like you took very much."

"Trust me, I got all I need. Despite your outward character, you think quite a lot."

"Just what exactly were you doing to me?"

"Eating your thoughts."

"So ... do you ...??"

"Hn." Hiei confirmed with a curt nod. "I know everything you've been saying to yourself since we started the transfusion." Hiei smirked omniciently.

Yusuke wore his humiliation on his cheeks. "You know Hiei you might want to tell a guy you're reading his thoughts before you start butting in!" Yusuke shook a fist in his friend's face with his teeth squeezed together in an angry growl.

"We discuss it later. Cover me." Hiei concluded as he got to his feet.

_-At least you're feeling better.- _Yusuke scoffed to himself. He too, stood.

"Sure thing you little shit," Yusuke spat, his brown eyes targeting the queen. Great. Her creeping lackies had managed to tip her into a 75 degree angle. Would be long until she was back in action.

There was a familiar 'whooshing' noise, a sound Yusuke knew to be Hiei's form slicing through air. The black clothing flashed into sight, floating just outside of Yukina's frozen body. Hiei's blade sliced through the ice precisely, and, like a snap of the fingers, Yukina busted out from her icy fossilization. The ice maiden descended from her prison, her body a crescent with chucks of ice tumbling about her. Her untied hair swept her lily skin like the branches of a weeping willow. Hiei caught the maiden with his good arm as she fell.

"Yusuke!" Hiei signaled with his voice.

Yusuke eyes followed his ears to the source of the voice and upon seeing Yukina in Hiei's hands, he nodded his understanding.

"Leave it to me, Hiei!"

Hiei reappeared next to Yusuke, pausing long enough to thank him.

"No problem." With that, Hiei departed, the wind trail tugging at the detective's t-shirt. Yusuke had to smirk. How could he stay angry at the demon if he was actually being grateful?

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!!" The queen howled, finally getting to her feet.

"Hey queenie! It ain't so bad! You still got me!' Yusuke grinned, pointing to himself with his thumb, chuckling all the while.

* * *

Kuwabara halted, his arms hung like a T-rex and his body hunched over. His legs were like that of a flamingo, one knee hiked up to his stomach the other locked straight. With a serious pout, he peered over his shoulder, craning his head left then right. The dojo was peaceful. A light snow fell from the overcast sky and shrouded the grounds in cold wool. So far his plan was working. He'd snuck past Genkaiundetected. Just a few yards more and he could insure his escape. Maybe it was the cryptic vibe of the ancient training ground, but the place seemed filled with a ghostly atmosphere. It was starting to give him the shivers. He took one more quick look around, for closure's sake that no one was watching him.

"Where do you think your going?"

Kuwabara made a faint 'tch' sound before spiraling around to face his teacher, laughing off his behavior as normal.

"Um uhh I was a-- patrolling! Yeah! You never know if those freaky spiders are going come back and try to kidnap Yukina again."

Genkai scowled lightly, eyes closed as her withered lips pulled into a dull smile, "You were going to cause more trouble for them weren't you?"

Kuwabara growled and bit his lip, "Yeah, so what?! I just can't sit here knowing the bastards responsible are still out there and I am not the one taking them down."

"Trust in their abilities Kuwabara. They can handle it. We need you here right now. You forget that I am getting older. With you gone, there's no one to protect us."

Kuwabara made a croaking sound, but his voice stopped after that. He wasn't sure what he was about to say. Whether it was to tell Genkai that she wasn't getting _that_ old or whether it was to debate with her on the importance of his presence here, he didn't know. He looked away instead. He got the feeling that she was right. He'd been foolish to abandon the women at a time like this.

Genkai turned and walked back to the dojo, her wooden clogs walking the path of the round stepping stones back to the porch. "They'll be fine. We've seen Yusuke get us out of bigger jams."

"That might be true, but I can think of a few times he needed us to bust his ass out of trouble." Kuwabara politely argued, already conceding defeat and following Genkai back to the warm glow of the mahogany temple.

"So how's Kurama doin?" Kuwabara asked, trying to get his mind off of what was going on inside the spider's den.

"It's ... hard to say." Genkai admitted as she slid open the entrance doors.

"Whadya mean? We gave him that antidote stuff! He should be cured!" Kuwabara gave her a quizzical look, suddenly getting a bad feeling in his chest.

"Yes, that's right, but how fast and how well a person recovers depends upon the person's will. If a person's will power is poor, it could take days, months, even years for them to heal. On the other hand, if a patient is fighting to live with all their heart and soul then the recovery should last as little as day, hours if you're really spirited."

"Now way! So you're saying Kurama's will power is really bad?! That can't be right! A guy like him would never let himself get killed!" The red head argued fervently, waving his hands in all sorts of aggressive motions.

"No, what I am saying is that I can't measure Kurama's will. It's not like spirit energy or demon energy. You can't sense someone else's will. It's a secret only Kurama knows."

Kuwabara stared at her, his eyes pulsing at how serious things were getting. Genkai didn't meet his eyes, but focused her sights of the brightly lit hall's of her temple. He looked away, knowing he would be left to play tennis with his own thoughts for awhile.

"We have to give it time. Kurama will pull through."

Genkai stepped inside, shutting the doors behind her and leaving Kuwabara to stand guard.

TBC...

* * *

I hope to have the next part up soon. Looks like 1 or 2 more chapters until the end!

Thank you for reading. Comments and questions welcome.

Completed: Thursday, April 17, 2008


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